Inventors:
Tom Y. Chi - San Gabriel CA
Brook D. Raymond - Hermosa Beach CA
Assignee:
Hughes Aircraft Company - Los Angeles CA
International Classification:
H01L 2348
H01L 2962
H01L 2940
Abstract:
A gallium arsenide monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) chip (12) has microelectronic devices (16, 18) formed on a frontside surface (12a), and via holes (12c, 12d) formed through the chip (12) from the frontside surface (12a) to a backside surface (12b). The backside surface (12b) of the chip (12) is bonded to a molybdenum carrier (14) by an eutectic gold/tin alloy (20). A barrier layer (22) including a refractory metal nitride material (22a) is sputtered onto the backside surface (12b) and into the via holes (12c, 12d) of the chip (12) prior to bonding. The barrier layer (22) blocks migration of tin from the eutectic gold-tin alloy (20) through the via holes (12c,-12d) to the frontside surface (12a) of the chip (12) during the bonding operation, thereby preventing migrated tin from adversely affecting the microelectronic devices (16, 18).